Cenos Floating Offshore Windfarm
Delivering renewable energy by 2030
A pioneering project to electrify and decarbonise offshore oil and gas platforms in the North Sea, whilst in turn providing renewable power to the UK grid.
Set to be one of the world’s largest floating offshore wind farms, Cenos provides an opportunity to cement Scotland and the UK as a world leader in floating offshore wind.
What Cenos delivers:
-
A key role in delivering the UK Government target of having 50 GW of offshore wind power capacity by 2030; and the target for 5 GW coming from floating offshore wind by 2030
- Contributes to Scotland’s 2045 net zero target
- Ensures the North Sea Transition Deal can reduce offshore oil and gas sector emissions by a minimum of 50% by 2030
- Catalyzing a Scottish and UK supply chain for floating offshore wind
1400MW
capacity
8 Oil & Gas
platforms
renewable power
annually to the UK grid
About the partners
Flotation Energy has a growing project pipeline of offshore wind projects with more than 13 GW in the UK, Ireland, Taiwan, Japan and Australia; and plans to expand into many more key markets.
The expertise of the Flotation Energy team lies in the project and engineering management of large infrastructure projects.
Flotation Energy has developed its own projects but also recognises the benefits of collaboration and working in partnership with other developers to deliver proven, cost-effective solutions.
Vårgrønn is an agile, Norway-based offshore wind company powering the energy transition through development, construction, operation, and ownership of offshore wind projects and related infrastructure. Vårgrønn is a joint venture between the energy company Plenitude (Eni) and the Norwegian energy entrepreneur and investor HitecVision.
Vårgrønn’s current pipeline of projects and prospective projects spans England, Scotland, Ireland and Norway in addition to early-stage initiatives in the Baltics. Vårgrønn holds a 20% share in Dogger Bank, the world’s largest windfarm under construction.
By 2030, Vårgrønn targets at least 5 GW of offshore wind in operation or sanctioned across Northern Europe.
About the project
The Cenos project
70-100
Floating Turbines
14-20MW
Turbines
area of
~ 333km²
The Cenos floating offshore wind farm will consists of 70-100 floating turbines. The turbines will be floating since the water depths exceed 90m, which means bottom-fixed foundations are not a viable solution. Each turbine will provide 14-20MW of power. The wind turbines will be installed on floating substructures which are connected by mooring lines to anchors in the seabed to hold their position. The turbines will be anchored across a carefully selected area of ~ 333km².
Efficient grid connection
The power generated by the wind turbines will be Alternating Current (AC) and routed to a substation platform. AC power will be exported to the oil and gas platforms.
For efficient export to the UK grid, the substation platform will include a converter station to change the AC power to Direct Current (DC) before the power is transported to shore.
Cenos is working in partnership with the NorthConnect interconnector project, to utilise their DC cable routing within 12 NM. Cenos will also use the NorthConnect onshore converter station planned for Fourfields near Boddam, which then has an agreed link into the Peterhead Substation. This collaboration minimises the need to construct additional infrastructure for the Cenos project.
Reliable power
The wind farm will provide power to the selected oil and gas installations. When there isn’t sufficient wind to power the turbines, the HVDC link to the grid will ensure power supply to the oil and gas installations.
Emissions cut, offshore and onshore
The availability of a reliable power supply to the Oil and Gas installations will allow onboard fossil fuel power generation to be retired, elimintaing substantial quantities of CO2 emissions over the life of these installations.
Overall, the Cenos project is estimated to cut emissions by over two million tonnes of carbon each year[1] while supporting the commercialisation of floating offshore wind technology
[1] Estimate based on CO2 reference values for the UK grid average (BEIS 2019), UK offshore power generation (Oil & Gas Authority (2020) UKCS Energy Integration Final Report Annex 1. Offshore electrification), and offshore wind (ClimateXChange (2015) Life cycle costs and carbon emissions of wind power).
The remaining power from the wind farm will be exported to the UK grid, providing approximately 5.5TWh per year of renewable power and leading to cut in emissions.
Boosting UK energy security
The wind farm will continue to opperate for decades after the oil and gas installations have been decommisioned. Cenos will then provide all the renewable power generated to the UK grid for many decades to come.
Planning and consent
We are in the process of producing offshore application for consent, supported by a Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.
The Scoping report for the marine-based elements of the Cenos project was submitted to Marine Scotland in the first quarter of 2023.
Consultation with the general public and key stakeholders will also inform the project and feed into the consenting process.
Surveys
A range of studies and surveys will inform project design development and the licensing and consent application process. Aerial surveys were initiated in March 2021 to collect offshore bird and marine mammal data across the offshore windfarm site. These surveys, undertaken by aircraft flying across the site monthly, will continue until March 2023.
Mapping of the seabed at and around the wind farm area and export cable route via geophysical and camera surveys is planned for summer 2023. Additional environmental assessments are planned for 2023 to inform the project design and EIA processes. These will investigate shipping activity, seabed habitats, ecology, and a host of other aspects of the environment in which the project is situated.
A range of studies and surveys will inform project design development and the licensing and consent application process. Aerial surveys were initiated in March 2021 to collect offshore bird and marine mammal data across the offshore windfarm site. These surveys, undertaken by aircraft flying across the site monthly continued until March 2023.
Mapping of the seabed at and around the wind farm area and HVDC cable route via geophysical camera surveys is planned for summer 2023. Shipping activitty surevys planned for late summer 2023.
Timeline for the project:
Flotation Energy started conceptualising the Cenos project in 2020, born out of the team’s previous offshore oil and gas decarbonisation experience. In 2022, Vårgrønn joined as a partner for the project.
In November 2022, Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn submitted a leasing application for Cenos under the INTOG Leasing Round.
- EIA Scoping submission
- EIA and Marine Licence Preparation and submission
- Consent Award
- Contract for Difference Application and Award
- Final Investment Decision
- Construction
- First power to platforms 2028
Building a world-leading Scottish supply chain
We are committed to the development of a local supply chain. We support a Just Transition for the UK energy sector workforce.
By delivering power already in 2028, Cenos is helping to build a world-leading offshore wind supply chain in Scotland.
Cenos will enable early investments in local supply chains, positioning Scottish offshore wind suppliers to compete in future domestic projects, like ScotWind, as well as export to international projects.
Our project will help develop and secure long-term investment and job growth in Scotland. We have already started supply chain engagement in Scotland and will build on this substantially throughout 2024.
News and Updates
